'The 4 C’s of Diamonds' - Diamond Cut

Did you know that the term diamond cut does not refer to its shape? Sure, you have to cut a diamond to make it a shape, but when gemologists say "cut," they are talking about a diamond's proportions, such as its depth and width and the uniformity of its facets--all characteristics that control brilliance, durability and other features we look for in a diamond.

The way a diamond is cut, its width, depth, roundness, size and position of the facets determine the brilliance of the stone. Even if the color and clarity are perfect, if the diamond is not cut to good proportions, it will be dull and less impressive to the eye.

 

Cut Grades

Ideal cut: These are the top quality diamonds. Producing maximum brilliance and “fire” (light dispersion), ideal-cut diamonds cannot help mesmerising the onlookers.  Represents roughly the top 3% of diamond quality based on cut. Reflects nearly all light that enters the diamond. An exquisite and rare cut. 

 

Very good cut: These diamonds create a good deal of brilliance, reflecting most of the light that enters them. These diamonds are the cutter's middle ground, when he tries to stick to the necessary proportions whilst slightly sacrificing them to create a larger diamond. This means that lots of the parameters of diamonds from this range overlap with certain parameters of diamonds from the Premium and Ideal ranges. Commonly, these diamonds are priced a bit lower than Premium cuts. Represents roughly the top 15% of diamond quality based on cut. Reflects nearly as much light as the ideal cut, but for a lower price. 

 

Good cut: These are diamonds that reflect a fair amount of the light. Their proportions are far from being ideal, because just like poor-cut diamonds they are created to keep their largest possible size rather than to mesmerise you with their optical characteristics. Diamonds from this range are the perfect option for customers who want to stay within a budget without compromising on quality or beauty.  Represents roughly the top 25% of diamond quality based on cut. Reflects most light that enters. Much less expensive than a very good cut. 

 

Fair cut: A diamond rated as fair reflects only a small amount of the light that enters it. Usually, these diamonds are cut to maximise the carat weight over other considerations. Represents roughly the top 35% of diamond quality based on cut. Still a quality diamond, but a fair cut will not be as brilliant as a good cut. 

 

Poor cut: Diamonds that are generally so deep and narrow or shallow and wide that they lose most of the light out the sides and bottom. The diamond may appear noticeably dull and lifeless, even to an untrained eye. Avoid Poor cut diamonds, even if size is the primary concern. Most find these diamonds to be an unacceptable trade off, despite the lower price.

A good diamond cut has many characteristics:

Diamond Width and Depth

The proportions of width and depth have a large impact on diamond brilliance, the reflection of white light that we see when we look at a diamond.

• Light traveling through a shallow cut diamond is lost out of the bottom of the stone and does not back into sight. The lack of light play makes shallow cut diamonds appear lifeless.
• Light traveling through a diamond that's cut too deep escapes out the sides, darkening all or portions of the stone.
• Light traveling through an ideal cut diamond bounces back out the top of the stone, bringing its brilliance into view.

Diamond Symmetry

Symmetry is a term that refers to the alignment of a diamond's facets, its flat and polished surfaces. The facets should be cut to achieve the best play of light.

The importance of symmetry is less important in diamonds that have lower clarity grades. Symmetry is more important in diamonds that have very high clarity grades.
When selecting your diamond, choose one of the following symmetry grades:

• Excellent
• Very Good
• Good

Listed below is a list of abbreviations and brief descriptions of symmetry grades that are used by GIA, EGL, and IGI.

• EX or E - Excellent, Flawless at 10 power
• VG or VGD -Very Good, Extremely difficult to locate under 10 power
• GD, GO, G - Good, Very diffucult to see under 10 power
• F, FR, FA - Fair, Noticable under 10 power
• PR, PO, P - Poor, Easy to see under 10X / Visible to unaided eye
• VP, VE, - Very Poor, Relatively easy to see with the unaided eye
• EX or EP - Extremely Poor, Obvious to see with unaided eye

Diamond Polish

Polish influences how well light is able to pass through a diamond and is very important to a diamond's brilliance. It is necessary to select a diamond that is laboratory certified with good, very good or excellent polish. Diamonds that have poor to extremely poor polish are less brilliant because they have microscopic polish lines that blur the surface of the diamond. These polish lines reduce the amount of light that enters or exits a diamond. When selecting your diamond be aware many diamonds possess poor polish. Diamond cutters can greatly reduce labor costs by not taking time to properly polish a diamond.

• EX or E - Excellent,  Flawless at 10 power
• VG or VGD - Very Good, Extremely difficult to locate under 10 power
• GD, GO, G - Good, Very difficult to see under 10 power
• F, FR, FA -  Fair, Noticeable under 10 power
• PR, PO, P -  Poor, Easy to see under 10X / Visible to unaided eye
• VP, VE, -  Very Poor, Relatively easy to see with the unaided eye
• EX or EP -  Extremely Poor, Obvious to see with unaided eye

Common Problems with Diamond Cuts

• A broken or chipped culet.
• A culet that's missing or one that's off center.
• Misaligned or extra facets.
• A girdle that is too thick, creating poor proportions, or too thin, making it easier to damage.
• A fringed girdle, with tiny cracks going into the diamond.
• A table that slopes to one side.

To be absolutely sure that you get a good diamond cut, deal only with reputable jewelers. Ask as many questions as you want to about the components of the diamond. Demand to see as many stones as possible to be able to make an effective comparison.

You can either contact us on +60162211051 today or email us on kul.stones@gmail.com to arrange a consultation about your exquisite loose diamond.